Published: Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 8:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 8:27 p.m.

FLETCHER — For the second time in as many years, the North Carolina State Wolfpack Coaches Caravan rolled into town at the WNC Agricultural Center with a new coach in tow.

A year after new men's basketball coach Mark Gottfried made a stop at the Ag Center, new football coach Dave Doeren greeted club members and fans on Thursday.

After climbing out of the van when he arrived at the Ag Center, Doeren immediately made his way inside to greet Wolfpack Club members and their guests. Approximately 120 were in attendance, and Doeren made it a point to talk and shake hands with everyone.

Although he hails from the Midwest, he is no stranger to the Western North Carolina area.

“This is the part of the state where I've vacationed at and enjoyed several times with my family,” Doeren, 41, a native of Kansas, said. “When I heard one of our stops was going to be in Asheville, I was really excited.”

Doeren was hired in December to replace Tom O'Brien, who was released by N.C. State at the end of the season. Doeren spent the past two seasons as head coach at Northern Illinois and had a 24-4 record, leading the Huskies to back-to-back conference titles.

He takes over an N.C. State program that finished the year at 7-6 with a loss to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl. The Wolfpack lost 12 starters from last year's team (six on offense and six on defense), including quarterback Mike Glennon, who threw for 4,031 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2012. Only one other Wolfpack quarterback had more yards in a single season: Phillip Rivers, who threw for 4,491 in 2003.

“It's going to be a rebuilding kind of year, of sorts. I really like this group I've inherited and the new guys coming in. They are a bunch of hard-working guys who want to win. They continue to get a lot better. I'm not going to make any predictions, that's for sure. But I can't wait to get on the field in August and go from there,” Doeren said.

<p>FLETCHER — For the second time in as many years, the North Carolina State Wolfpack Coaches Caravan rolled into town at the WNC Agricultural Center with a new coach in tow.</p><p>A year after new men's basketball coach Mark Gottfried made a stop at the Ag Center, new football coach Dave Doeren greeted club members and fans on Thursday. </p><p>After climbing out of the van when he arrived at the Ag Center, Doeren immediately made his way inside to greet Wolfpack Club members and their guests. Approximately 120 were in attendance, and Doeren made it a point to talk and shake hands with everyone.</p><p>Although he hails from the Midwest, he is no stranger to the Western North Carolina area.</p><p>“This is the part of the state where I've vacationed at and enjoyed several times with my family,” Doeren, 41, a native of Kansas, said. “When I heard one of our stops was going to be in Asheville, I was really excited.”</p><p>Doeren was hired in December to replace Tom O'Brien, who was released by N.C. State at the end of the season. Doeren spent the past two seasons as head coach at Northern Illinois and had a 24-4 record, leading the Huskies to back-to-back conference titles.</p><p>He takes over an N.C. State program that finished the year at 7-6 with a loss to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl. The Wolfpack lost 12 starters from last year's team (six on offense and six on defense), including quarterback Mike Glennon, who threw for 4,031 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2012. Only one other Wolfpack quarterback had more yards in a single season: Phillip Rivers, who threw for 4,491 in 2003.</p><p>“It's going to be a rebuilding kind of year, of sorts. I really like this group I've inherited and the new guys coming in. They are a bunch of hard-working guys who want to win. They continue to get a lot better. I'm not going to make any predictions, that's for sure. But I can't wait to get on the field in August and go from there,” Doeren said.</p>